


Lady Boss

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Drama, F/M, Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-02
Updated: 2013-10-02
Packaged: 2017-12-28 04:40:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/987754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I think a possible Lifetime movie about my brush with death at the hands of a serial killer who was also in the FBI is more than a little attention.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lady Boss

**Author's Note:**

> Let’s just call this Season 9, or at least how I wish Season 9 was going to go.

She took a deep breath as she stood outside of the building. The nerves were silly; she’d been inside millions of times over the past 28 years. It was where she’d sat as an Academy cadet. Her first decade as a special Agent and then as a Supervisory Special Agent was spent working in the Hoover Building in DC. When she was promoted to Unit Chief of BAU 2 and eventually the Section Chief of the NCAVC, Erin returned to Quantico. It was her second home…it was in her bloodstream.

“Good morning ma'am.” Two agents walked by under the same umbrella.

“Good morning.”

“Are you alright?” the male Agent asked.

“Yes Agent…” Erin looked at his I.D. “Yes Agent Kaplan, thank you.”

He nodded and they walked into the building. After another deep breath, Erin did the same thing. She signed in at the security desk. Her wet umbrella, briefcase, jacket, and purse went onto the conveyor before she walked through the metal detectors. The machine didn’t go off but they still ran over her body with the wand. It didn’t matter who you were; all agents were treated the same. This part of the morning never bothered Erin.

“Thank you ma'am.” The guard nodded as she retrieved her items.

“Thank you.”

Erin walked to the elevator banks, listening to her Kenneth Cole pumps on the recently waxed floors. It was 8:30am and the car she got into was crowded. By the time she got to the ninth floor, Erin was alone. She did the sign of the cross as the doors opened and walked off. She wasn’t even a Catholic but wanted all the help she could get. 

It had been quite a while since she’d had a first day. Lots of people in the busy bullpen said good morning and Erin responded in kind. She turned left at the end of the large room, finally able to relax some when she saw a friendly face. Tim McPherson, who’d been her assistant for seven years, stood as she approached.

“Good morning, ma'am.” He held out a large coffee cup. “I got you Americano with caramel creamer and a dash of extra Splenda for stamina.”

“You know me too well.” Erin smiled.

“Yes ma'am.” He lowered his voice. “The place is a bit drab but I made sure that everything in your office would be to your satisfaction. Over the next week or so there will be work done on the outer office.”

“That’s fine.” Erin nodded.

“Also, the Deputy Director is waiting in your office.”

“Thank you, Tim.”

“One more thing ma'am, and this might sound strange, but I'm not entirely sure how you should be addressed to the world outside. I would no longer call you Madam Section Chief. Is Madam Assistant Director alright?”

“I think its fine. It actually has a nice ring to it.”

“I think so too, ma'am.” Tim smiled. “Don’t keep the Deputy Director waiting.”

Erin walked into her new office. Her first steps were tentative; she had no idea what she was falling into. The set-up of the room was nearly identical to her office across the base at the NCAVC. It was bigger with a nicer view though. Erin’s degrees from Barnard, Bradshaw, and Columbia were all on the walls. Her 1987 Field Agent of the Year Award was there as well as her three Director’s Awards for Excellence in Management; 1998, 2002, and 2006.

“There's going to be a press conference at the end of the week.” Kirk said.

“Good morning to you too, Sir.” She put her umbrella in the stand and hung her jacket on the coat rack. Her purse went into the bottom desk drawer and her briefcase in one of the chairs. On the credenza behind her desk were family photos and a recent photo Erin took with Secretary Clinton at a fundraiser for Emily’s List. She sat down in the plush leather chair, crossing her leg.

“I bought you breakfast.” Kirk pointed to the platter in front of her. “It’s likely still warm.”

“If I ate that right now,” she sipped her coffee. “It'd result in something out of _The Exorcist_. Is the press conference really necessary?”

“You're the first woman in the history of the Bureau to hold this job so yeah,” he nodded. “It’s necessary. The _Newsweek_ interview is as well.”

“Dammit.” Erin mumbled.

“This thing grew legs, kid. We keep control of the story by staying on top of it.”

“Kirk, I can't be a story and run the FBI Academy too.”

“It’s going to take much more than a few interviews to really pull the curtain back on this job. No one,” he put his hand on his chest. “Including me, wants that. But a little attention never hurt.”

“I think a possible Lifetime movie about my brush with death at the hands of a serial killer who was also in the FBI is more than a little attention.” She said.

“There's a possibility that could now turn into a six hour mini-series starring Laura Linney but you probably don’t want to talk about that right now.”

“I surely don’t.” Erin shook her head. “Wait, did you just say Laura Linney?”

“We’ll talk about that later. I’ll leave you to your first day.” Kirk stood and picked up the breakfast platter. “Your second will be filled with meetings so if you can believe it, today will be relatively stress-free.”

“You’ve never lied to me Kirk; don’t start now.”

This was her first day on the job but she was surely no novice to what the job took. Within ten days Erin would be knee deep. Same shit, different department. The Bureau was the Bureau was the Bureau. If it was one thing that Erin Strauss knew, for better or worse, it was the Bureau. She’d given the place more than half of her life.

“I’ll be allowed to hire my own support staff, correct?” she asked.

“Yes, but they must come from the pool of staff already here. With sequester and shutdown and all kinds of other ‘S’ words looming, we’re lucky to still have the people that we do. This week you're gonna be flying by the seat of your pants and a lot will fall on young Tim. I have complete faith in his ability to handle it and shield you from the BS that never needs to make it to your door.”

“Young Tim is about 40.” Erin said.

“That’s still young to me. Have a good day, kid.”

Kirk gave Erin a salute and left the office. She relaxed for a few minutes before getting up and closing the door. Grabbing her cell phone from the desk, Erin went over to the window. It did have a nice view of the outside gun ranges. 

The rain today kept the agents in training inside for the most part. There would always be a few who decide to run in the rain or hit the obstacle course. Erin both smiled and grimaced remembering those days. She pushed 2 on her cell phone, holding it up to her ear.

“Hi there.”

“I ask myself sometimes if I'm ever going to see you again.”

“We’re ready with the profile. I think we’re leaving Provo by tomorrow.”

“I guess I can celebrate with my other lover tonight.” Erin said.

“I really wanted to be there for your first day.” Dave said.

“I know.”

“Did you wear your lucky underwear?” he asked.

“I'm gonna need more than that. Apparently I've got a press conference on Friday, an interview in _Newsweek_ and Laura Linney might play me in a mini-series. She has three Tony nominations, David. That’s not small potatoes.”

“You're going to kick ass. I know that already. You know it too but everyone’s nervous on their first day.”

“I feel pukey.” She said. “I can't even believe I just admitted that to you. Kirk bought me breakfast but my appetite is shot.”

“You're going to have to eat something today.”

“I will; I promise. I need to go. It’s time for me to jump in.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.” Erin smiled.

“If you need anything, even just a friendly voice, call me.”

“I will. Come home safe.”

“Soon.”

Erin hung up and went back over to her desk. It was time to get to work. The 2014 budget had just come in and Erin would be the one making sure all funds were distributed properly. There were others who thought they had a better idea about how to handle it. That’s what all the meetings would be about. Same shit, different department; a brand new day.

***


End file.
